Book Review: Show Presents Metamorpho, Volume 1

Showcase Presents: Metamorpho, Vol. 1 by Bob Haney

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book collects the entire Silver Age run of Metamorpho, the Element Man: his two tryout issues in Brave and the Bold #57 and #58, his own comic series from Issues 1-17, and Team Ups with the Metal Men (Brave and the Bold #67) and Batman (Brave and the Bold #68) and his guest starring appearing in Justice League #42.

The concept of Metamorpho was good. Rex Mason, adventurer ticks off wealthy scientist Simon Stagg, who is also the father of Rex's lady love Sapphire. As a result of an encounter with the Orb of Ra, he obtains strange powers to change his composition to various elements. He ends up working for Stagg who promises to find a cure, but really wants to keep as the Element Man to keep him away from his daughter (who Rex refuses to marry as long as he's "a freak,") and to keep Metamorpho available to do his bidding.

The set up is great. Metamorpho's powers are impressive and somewhat unique in the sheer variety of them. The supporting team set up is good. Metamorpho has two of his supporting players not really on his side. Stagg is using Metamorpho and the million-year-old Caveman Java (who Rex rescued) wants Rex out of the picture so Java can marry Sapphire. Sapphire, contrary to her shallow party girl rep stands by Rex even as Metamorpho. The art is often quite fun and Metamoprho's power set is very visually appealing. I also liked Metamorpho's dialogue. In my mind, he has the speaking voice Frank Sinatra.

So why didn't the series last longer? Well, to start with, the villains were nothing special. While Java fumed about Rex and pined for Sapphire, he didn't do a whole lot in the adventures one way or another. Most of the time, he wasn't a help to Metamorpho or a hurt...he was just there.

Still, the book was okay until Element Girl came along. She had all the powers of Metamorpho but was female. She was introduced as an experiment with reader letters determing whether she would be brought back. Before she'd come along Rex and Sapphire had decided to get married. However, she interrupted the wedding to ask Rex's help for a mission and then Rex refuses to marry Sapphire while Element Girl's out saying he's unable to choose between them. After all who among us wouldn't struggle whether to choose a beautiful woman who stood beside us while we went into a freakish disfiguring accident...or someone we just meant.

Anyway, after Element Girl stays, she becomes a very consistent Mary Sue character. The books are marked by catty interactions between her and Sapphire that essentially changes Sapphire's characterization from loving sweet kid to spoiled rich harpie. Issue 17 saw the book turn towards a new direction with Metamorpho on the run with Element Girl on their own. The book was cancelled and the cliffhanger was never resolved. Metamorpho had jumped the shark and didn't really live up to his potential.

The extra team ups are fun. The one with the Metal Men finds him having to fight them when they go evil. Their powers are quite similar, so the battle is somewhat interesting, even though Metamorpho's greater range makes him the obvious favorite. The Batman team up has Metamorpho trying to help Batman when he's changed into Bathulk by Joker, Penguin, and Riddler. This one was goofy but the same could be said of most Batman team ups in the 1960s.

The Justice League issue was actually a fairly good story where Metamorpho is named the next member of the Justice League and declines but is attacked by another being who wants to join the league-the Unimaginable. It's a nice high concept story which allows many of the Justice League's finest to show their stuff against an intriguing opponent. This is the only story not written by Bob Haney and the big downside is that Gardener Fox's dialogue for Metamorpho is a bit off. Still, this is a delight.

Overall, the book is a mixed bag. There's some snappy dialogue and fun art, but ultimately, Metamorpho's silver age series failed due to the creative team not being able to deliver stories worthy of their concept.



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